to wonder why it's still considered ok to use terms that are offensive to disabled people?

[wannaBe]

because imo it isn't.

someone used the word "mong" on a thread today, and although they were pulled up by a couple of posters, that's it.

if it was a racist term it wouldn't be tolerated. so why any other offensive term? why?

And why do people still feel the need to use these terms?

I emailed mn about it and they just call it a distasteful word
sadly they don't seem to give a f

Well I've never used it anyway, only heard it in the other, not meant as an insult, context.

Mshadow - on behalf of my beautiful girl (see profile) thank you for contacting MN.
Riven, I know what you mean. I'm not "making a fuss" about those who unknowingly use the word.
But I'm livid that MN allow it to remain.

do they not realise we are all a car crash away from a wheelchair.
this thread is pissing me of.
I keep reading how mn is supposed to full of intelligent people with degrees. they seem to be few and far between on here.
strange how people can get so upset if you call a child naughty/stupid or bad. but refuse to accpet that words like mong or spaz are wrong.
it is thanks to idiots people like this that my ds has had to put up with so much crap. and i worry so much for dd.

Just because you've never used it as an insult, doesn't mean that others have.

omg she is beautifu. i looked at that grin and grinned back.

OK well anyone who wants the word banned on here let's email MNHQ and request it, particularly out of respect for the MNers whose children have Downs Syndrome. Maybe if enough of us do it they will reconsider.
I'm going to do so now.

Also, a new thread with this specific request would be good, to draw in more people. Would any of the mothers of children with DS like to start one??

why doesn't someone with out a child with sn start it?
maybe mn hq would listen then.

What would be more effective? A thread started by someone with or without a child who has DS?? I don't know. I'm happy to do it but I think it would be more effective coming from someone directly affected by the issue.

I'll do it. Please add your names those of you with any sense of what is acceptable. I'll put it in site stuff

OK, thank you THG. I'll look for it

Riven about blue badge bays ...this will make you want to scream. I work on the customer service desk at a supermarket. I had a man come in and complain because the security guard had asked him not to park his bmw in the disabled bays unless he had a blue badge on display. He didn't want his car to get scratched and so thought it was ok to park there to protect his precious car !!!
I explained that as the mother of a ds with sn I wasn't perhaps the best person to be complaining to. I also pointed that his car was probably just as likely to get scratched there as anywhere else on the car park. I politely suggested that perhaps he should leave his car at home if he was that concerned about it and walk instead...at least he could. He asked to see the manager who came down and backed me up and told him he was lucky he wasn't going to impose the fine

sadly it seems the other thread will just be full of people banging on about education.

I haven't been in the office since Wednesday so I'm not completely up to date with all this but, as I understand it, the post was originally left because one of the team felt that the subsequent debate (as to why such a comment is unacceptable) would go a long way to educating the Mumsnet community. I think she felt that deleting the OP would render the thread nonsensical and, consequently, any subsequent educational element would be lost. That said, I think I remember a general email from either Justine or Carrie saying the post should go - and I agree. So just to make it perfectly clear - no, we really, really don't think it's an acceptable term, and any decision to leave the post was done with a good motive - but, in hindsight, maybe we should have deleted it when it was first reported.

I'm so shocked by the attitude, 'oh it doesn't mean that any more, stop being so pc'.
How fucking stupid are you people? It is offensive to a very large percentage of people, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.

If people keep on using derogatory terms they will never die out. I don't care in what context the word is being used, the word itself is rude and disrepectful, not to a minority bit to hundreds of thousands of people.
I am disgusted that MNHQ don't feel fit to remove it.

Thank you AbbyMN

I was typing when Abbeys post came up, so didn't see it before I did mine.

Thanks for the explanation Abby, I did wonder about why the original post was left to stand

Is it still out there? If you report it I will delete it.

Well done riven Hoped you parked there for a very, very, very long time!!! I would never wish disability on anyone but my resolve has been pushed to the limit sometimes.

abbey - I think it has been removed from the original thread.

I, as the parent of a child with down syndrome, have in a number ways on this thread explained how it is offensive and where the term comes from and why it is possibly used in terms of the 'look' of the situation iyswim. What more can I do?

have only just seen this thread and am horrified. My disabled ds with cerebral palsy has come up aginst the 'spastic' word a few times, every time i go beserk.